The reigning champions of the Polish League of American Football, the AZS Silesia Miners, announced a partnership last week with the soccer club Rozwój Katowice. The teams will cooperate on promotional events and, as a condition of the deal, the Miners will begin playing at the same stadium as Rozwój, not far from the center of Katowice, effective immediately. The agreement was made possible with the help of the government of the city of Katowice.
The Miners are currently in their fourth season of football. During its history the team has won one championship, that coming under the direction of coach Jeff Shiffman last season. Additionally, the Miners reached the title game in 2007. In addition to this success on the field, the Miners have been an organizational success, regularly supported by some of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds in the PLFA. They will look to build on that success in Rozwój’s building.
“After four years we will finally be able to play our home games in Katowice. Our cooperation with Rozwój will create wider opportunities for promotions and marketing. This is a considerable success for a young team such as the Miners, which we owe to a great degree to the help of the city government of Katowice”, explained Olga Faszczewska, director of marketing and public relations for the Miners.
The support of the city council has allowed the Miners to play their home games this year on the field at ulica Zgoda 28. The agreement between the two Katowice clubs comes shortly after a similar promotional cooperation deal between the soccer club Polonia Warszawa and the Warsaw Eagles. Sławomir Witek, Director of the Sport and Recreation Department for the City of Katowice, expressed his enthusiasm for getting the Miners into the city.
“The fact that the Miners won the championship is a source of great pride for us. That made it all the more important to get them to play in Katowice. Football is a beautiful sport, played according to the ‘one for all and all for one’ priniciple”, said Witek.
Around 1000 fans attended the first home game of this season for the Miners, played at Rozwój’s stadium. The Miners came away with an overwhelming victory in that game over their local rivals, the Zagłębie Steelers Interpromex. Perhaps the victory foreshadows greater success ahead, due to the cooperation of the AZS Silesia Miners, Rozwój soccer club and the City of Katowice.
Remaining Miners 2010 regular season home games:
June 6, 11:00 AM: AZS Silesia Miners-Pomorze Seahawks
June 13, 2:00 PM: AZS Silesia Miners-Warsaw Eagles.
PZFA Press Bureau ; www.pzfa.pl
Photos: Miners vs. Steelers , May 9th, 2010
Author: Mirosława Łukaszek/AZS Silesia Miners